New Hampshire · state plan
Personal Care Attendant Services (PCAS) in New Hampshire
Personal Care Attendant Services is a New Hampshire Medicaid State Plan benefit for adults who use a wheelchair and can direct their own care. The participant recruits, trains and manages their own attendant, who is employed by a Medicaid-enrolled provider such as Granite State Independent Living (GSIL). A friend or a more distant relative can be the paid attendant, but close family members, including a spouse, parents and siblings, cannot.
Also called: PCAS · PCA services · personal care attendant program · GSIL personal care · consumer directed personal care NH · He-W 552
Who do you care for?
Quick facts
- Pay
- Up to $22/hr (GSIL)
- Adult children & other relatives
- Sometimes
- Spouse
- Not right now
- Parent of a minor child
- the program only serves adults 18 and older, and parents are excluded as attendants.
- Waitlist
- none
Who qualifies for PCAS
- Enrolled in New Hampshire Medicaid and at least 18 years old (He-W 552.03).
- Your own legal guardian — no court-appointed guardian.
- Chronically wheelchair-mobile because of a physical disability.
- Able to self-direct: make informed choices and select, direct, supervise and manage the attendant.
- Living in the community and needing at least 2 hours a day of medically oriented personal care.
- A physician certifies the need and the hours, and you sign a statement that family and other natural supports cannot fully meet your needs.
Who can be paid as the caregiver
- Adult children & other relatives Sometimes
- He-W 552.04 bars any 'member of the recipient's family': a spouse, parent, step-parent, sister or brother, or a grandparent, aunt or uncle living in the same household. Relatives outside that list, such as an adult child, grandchild, niece, nephew or in-law, are not named in the ban.
- Spouse Not right now
- a spouse is listed as a family member who cannot be the paid attendant (He-W 552.02 and 552.04).
- Parent of a minor child
- the program only serves adults 18 and older, and parents are excluded as attendants.
- Living together
- living together is not required, but a grandparent, aunt or uncle who lives in the same household cannot be paid.
Who employs the caregiver: Self-directed with an agency employer. The participant recruits, trains, schedules and manages the attendant, and the Medicaid-enrolled provider (such as GSIL) employs or contracts with the attendant, pays wages and oversees care through a registered nurse.
Spouse rules differ by program — see spouse pay in New Hampshire.
How much PCAS pays
Up to $22/hr (GSIL). Medicaid pays the enrolled provider per 15-minute unit (code T1019); the attendant's wage is set by the employing provider. GSIL's job page lists personal care attendant pay of up to $22 per hour as of October 2026. This matches the $15–$22/hr range in our state summary.
Hours and budget: The physician states how many hours of personal care are needed per day or week. A registered nurse from the provider does a personal care assessment and writes the plan of care, listing the type, frequency and number of hours or 15-minute units. Hours cover only medically oriented personal care, not companionship or general chores.
Compare with other New Hampshire programs on the New Hampshire caregiver pay page, or across states in pay rates by state.
Is there a waitlist?
PCA services are a Medicaid State Plan benefit, so anyone who meets He-W 552.03 is eligible; no enrollment cap is published. Staffing shortages can still delay start dates.
How to apply for PCAS
- Make sure you have New Hampshire Medicaid, or apply through NH Easy or a DHHS district office.
- Ask your physician to document why you need personal care, what tasks you need help with, and how many hours per day or week.
- Contact a PCA provider such as Granite State Independent Living to be approved for its independent living program.
- A provider registered nurse completes your assessment and plan of care; if you are in a Medicaid managed care plan, the plan reviews the request for authorization.
- Recruit your attendant (not a close family member) and have them hired and trained through the provider before paid shifts start.
- Granite State Independent Living (GSIL) · 603-228-9680 or 800-826-3700 · official site
- NH Easy (apply for Medicaid online) · not published on pages reviewed · official site
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PCAS questions
Can I hire my spouse as my PCA in New Hampshire?
No. He-W 552 lists a spouse as a family member, and a personal care attendant may not be a member of the recipient's family. Some websites say a spouse can be hired, but the state rule and a 2025 Medicaid plan policy both exclude spouses.
Can my adult child be my paid attendant?
The rule's list of excluded family members is a spouse, parent, step-parent, sister, brother, and a grandparent, aunt or uncle living in the same home. Adult children are not on that list. Confirm with your provider before your child starts work.
Do I need to use a wheelchair to qualify?
Yes. The rule requires you to be chronically wheelchair-mobile because of a physical disability, need at least 2 hours a day of personal care, and be able to direct your own attendant.
How much do PCAs get paid?
The wage depends on the employing provider. Granite State Independent Living advertises pay of up to $22 per hour for personal care attendants. Medicaid pays the provider in 15-minute units.
What tasks can a PCA be paid for?
Bathing, grooming, toileting, transfers, dressing, help with medications you direct, meal preparation and light housekeeping tied to your needs. Companionship, social outings, yard work and cleaning the whole house are not covered.
Is there a waiting list for PCA services?
PCA services are part of the Medicaid State Plan rather than a capped waiver, so no enrollment cap is published. Finding an available attendant can still take time.
Sources: gc.nh.gov · nhhealthyfamilies.com · gsil.org · gsil.org · medicaidplanningassistance.org · Updated 2026-10-08. Program rules change — always confirm with the program.
Where most New Hampshire caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in New Hampshire — pick yours for the local picture.
Across the line
States that border New Hampshire
Each state writes its own rules, and they differ more than people expect — a spouse who can be paid on one side of the line often cannot be on the other.